What are they made from?
Fabric = 100% organic cotton.
Ribbon and thread = 100% Tencel.
Where do they come from?
Made in the UK by us here at Team ABP (currently in Glasgow.)
Are they sustainable?
Organic cotton – Cotton needs a ridiculous amount of water to grow. It is also very labour intensive because cotton attracts lots of pests. In terms of sustainability, cotton is not the most sustainable, however, many of the alternatives, like hemp, aren’t grown on the same scale (hemp requires fewer pesticides and water). Cotton is much better if it is organic. Organic means no pesticides for one. If you spray pesticides all over your cotton, they are going to get into the water, which will be absorbed by the soil, resulting in pesticides in the water supply. Not to mention all the other toxins used in the production and manufacturing of non-organic cotton. Buy organic cotton or cotton that has been reused or upcycled, because the alternative is appalling.
Viscose/’Tencel’ – A material made from natural sources of cellulose fibre such as wood. Although viscose is considered a ‘natural’ fibre, its production process is not very eco-friendly as some quite poisonous gases are given off as a by-product during its production. These days, these gases are mostly captured and neutralised, but worker safety in developing countries that produce this fibre can be an issue. The lyocell process, (branded as ‘Tencel’), however, is a closed-loop system and allows no by-products to escape, making the manufacture of viscose in this way ‘neutral’ from an environmental standpoint.
How about ethical?
These reusable fabric gift wraps are handmade by our very own Núria from Team ABP 😊.
We now have a sewing machine in the office, which is exciting, because it means that we can make some of our own products now. The machine originally belonged to Jenny’s nan, so it is around 50 years old. It was built before the age of planned obsolescence, so having been recently serviced, it works as well as ever!
The cost of labour - phew! Núria is bleeding me dry… I am joking of course. These reusable gift wraps are handmade with tender loving care right here in Glasgow, not a sweatshop, so Núria is being paid properly for her skills. This is a very relaxed workplace and Núria was a willing volunteer to make products on the sewing machine. (Sewing is a hobby of hers, so she was well up for this). We adhere to all the laws and standards regarding the workplace just as all businesses should, and try to go above and beyond to make ABP a fab place to work. 😊
Extra good stuff:
This is a homemade product by Anything But Plastic, so all the good stuff we do no